Scribblenauts DS

Scribblenauts is a side-scrolling DS game that was developed by 5th Cell and released in September 2009. The game follows its catchphrase "Write Anything, Solve Everything". The player controls a boy named Maxwell who must pass levels by finding "Starites". To do this, players are given the option to send up almost anything they want by using the in-game notepad to write the name of what they want. Players are allowed to combine various objects together for different effects in order to solve the puzzles. The possibilities to solve each level are "endless". Anything can be written as long as its not a profanity, racial or sexually related, or any copyrighted characters. Summoned objects can range from animals to weapons to household utensils, etc. The game also has a homonym feature which allows players to differentiate between such things like a fishing net and a butterfly net or a toy balloon and a hot air balloon. Maxwell can also interact with other characters and objects, such as getting attacked by bees and piranhas or riding a bike or pterodactyl through town.

Concerning concepts, the game is highly original. Players can basically run wild to create endless possibilities that would never have been possible in real life. Want to know what will happen if you have a dinosaur pitted against a dragon? You can find out in Scribblenauts! Need to knock down a tower of bottles? Why use a regular old baseball if you can attach a pole to a kangaroo and let the kangaroo knock down the bottles?

However, despite the extremely creative gameplay, there are some things that the game is lacking. There was a lot more room for the game to improve itself and come out as a much better game, perhaps even becoming the DS Game of the Century or something. Solutions to puzzles aren't always that obvious. Often times, what appears to be the simplest solution will not at all work in the game. In the end, players can spend a lot of time racking their brains and getting frustrated over figuring out a solution that sometimes doesn't even make sense.

The graphics itself are nice for a DS game, but I personally don't like the style. The style is more reminiscent of the scratchy pencil or crayon drawings of a five-year-old. Basically, the style is rather simple in comparison to much more detailed styles such as Pokemon or Kingdom Hearts. This is more obvious in the game as opposed to the game box cover. However, you have to admit that Maxwell and the rest of the characters are a rather cute bunch.

Overall, the game is a fun game to play. Just be prepared to take your solutions to a whole new level and have patience while figuring out the puzzles. If all else fails, there's still always room to fiddle around with your own dastardly combinations.